The present invention relates to a conveying device that can turn on a vertical axis at the rear of an apparatus.
A conveying device that can be turned from an apparatus may be the conveying device fitted near the delivery unit in an image forming apparatus. When the image forming apparatus is jammed with a sheet of paper near the delivery unit of the apparatus, a user removes the sheet by turning the conveying device from the main body of the apparatus. A sheet of paper with which the image forming apparatus is jammed may be nipped in both a roller pair of the main body and a roller pair of the conveying device. In this case, if the conveying device is turned from the main body, the sheet may be torn and remain in the main body and the conveying device, so that the sheet may be difficult to remove.
JP-H11-143156-A discloses an image forming apparatus including a conveying device and a structure for preventing a sheet of paper with which the apparatus is jammed from being torn. When a user turns the conveying device from the main body of the image forming apparatus, this structure disengages the rollers of a roller pair of the main body from each other so as to prevent the sheet from being torn.
The conveying device fitted to an image forming apparatus that can switch back a sheet of paper includes a switching gate for guiding the sheet to a proper conveying path. The image forming apparatus includes a paper guide. Normally, the weight of the switching gate keeps a front end portion of the gate engaging with the recess formed in the paper guide. With the gate portion engaging with the recess, a sheet of paper conveyed from the fixing unit of the image forming apparatus passes over the paper guide by raising the gate portion out of engagement with the recess. When the sheet switches back, the weight of the switching gate keeps the gate portion engaging with the recess so that the sheet can be conveyed to the switchback path without being conveyed back to the fixing unit.
If the conveying device were turned from the main body of the image forming apparatus, with the gate portion engaging with the recess in the paper guide, the gate portion might break.
A solenoid might be provided for disengaging the gate portion from the recess in the paper guide. When the conveying device is turned from the main body of the image forming apparatus, the solenoid could disengage the gate portion from the recess, preventing the portion from breaking. However, the extra provision of the solenoid would increase costs and need additional space, which would enlarge the main body.
In view of the foregoing problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a conveying device including a switching gate a front end portion of which can be disengaged from the recess in the paper guide of an image forming apparatus by the action of the handle of the conveying device.